This invention relates to a device for exercising a user's arms and legs as they are moved in a simulated swimming motion, and in particular to such a device which supports the user in an upright orientation while the exercise is being performed.
Swimming is an excellent form of exercise since it provides tone to a wide variety of muscles in both the upper and lower body and promotes cardiovascular fitness. However, many people do not swim well enough to take advantage of this form of exercise and many people who are adequate swimmers are bothered by chlorine or do not have access to a pool.
In order to make this excellent form of exercise available to a wider range of people, exercise devices have been provided which simulate the resistance encountered by the user's arms and legs when they are moved in a swimming motion. Typical of these devices are Kien, U.S.S.R. Patent No. 961,723, Hess, U.S. Pat. No. 2,019,224, Campbell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,033,275 and Hartnett, U.S. Pat. No. 1,176,365. However, all of these devices require the user to lie on their stomach in a prone position while exercising which is extremely uncomfortable. While there are devices for exercising a person's arms while they remain in an upright position, such as Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,160, Gustafson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,084 and Heilbrun, U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,633, these devices do not provide for exercising the user's legs.
The present invention overcomes these shortcomings and limitations of the prior art exercise devices by providing an elongate base which sits on the floor and supports the remaining elements of the device. A seat support located on the base intermediate its ends carries a seat which supports a user in a generally vertical orientation with his or her legs and arms being free to move about the hips and shoulders respectively without interfering with either the floor or the device itself. The seat is equipped with a belt which holds the user into the seat while exercising. The length of the base, the height of the post and the height of the seat support all are adjustable in order to accommodate different-sized users and to facilitate storage of the device. A set of wheels located at the extremity of the base assists in its extension and retraction.
Located at one end of the base is an upright post. Extending out from the extremity of the post is a horizontal T-shaped arm having resistance devices located at both ends of the crossbars of the T which are arranged for exercising the arms of a user sitting in the seat when they are rotated about the shoulders in a swimming motion. Located at the other end of the base is a vertical T-shaped support having resistance devices located at both ends of the crossbar of the T which are arranged for exercising the legs of a user sitting in the seat when they are oscillated in a kicking motion.
The preferred embodiment of the resistance device comprises a rotatably mounted reel which has a flexible cable wound onto it. One end of the cable is attached to the reel and the other end is attached either to a strap which can be attached to the user's ankles, or to a handle which can be held in the user's hand. The reel is attached to a spring which resists rotation of the reel when the cable is being unwound from it and causes the reel to rewind the cable onto it when the cable is released. A one-way clutch associated with the reel limits its speed of rotation when it is being rotated by the spring to rewind the cable. When the resistance devices are attached to a user's arms and legs and they are moved in a motion similar to that used while swimming a resistance comparable to that experienced when swimming is exerted on them.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an exercise device which imparts resistance to a user's arms and legs when they are moved in a motion which is similar to that used when swimming.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a device which supports the user in a generally vertical orientation while the exercise is being performed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a device in which resistance is applied to the arms and legs only while they are being moved in one direction.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a device which accommodates users of varying sizes.
The foregoing and other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.